Rick Cooper runs for sheriff

Otero County sheriff Candidate Rick Cooper said he has the experience and management skills to hold the top spot in county law enforcement.

Cooper is running against incumbent Sheriff Benny House in the June 3rd Republican primary.

Cooper put in 23 years with the then Alamogordo Department of Public Safety and 3 1/2 years with the Otero County Sheriff's Office as a courthouse security deputy. During his time with ADPS he worked patrol, community relations — including a stint as supervisor of that department — the SWAT team and school resource officer. Right now he is the director for the DWI Supervision Program. He said one of his strengths is communication.

"I think that's where a lot of our problems exist," Cooper said. "People just don't communicate anymore. Everything is text and email. There's no face to face, just old fashioned talking. I think that's important."

Cooper said it's important as the sheriff to build good leaders underneath oneself in order to keep the office running in good order.

He said he wants to get the right people in the right place for the right purpose, having people that want to be there and want to be in law enforcement.

As sheriff he would analyze where everyone is and if they could be in different positions.

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"The sheriff is not a permanent position," Cooper said. "It's constantly changing. If you want to build a good solid department, then I think if the people beneath you are good leaders, as time goes by, it will remain a solid solvent department."

Cooper said he thinks the relationships between local law enforcement agencies can be strengthened — and that power struggles between them only cause the public to suffer.

"The bottom line is we are all working together for the same goal — it's to take care of the public. That's what we are all here for, and to put the bad guys in jail," he said. "That's been my philosophy since I've started talking about running."

He said there is a good group of people at the Sheriff's Office right now.

"Benny [House] and I don't have any personal issues," he said. "Maybe different management styles but we don't dislike each other. We get along just fine. I'm not going to try to reinvent the wheel over there. There's a great group of people over there, good people, just different leadership styles."

He said his running mate is Otero County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Sean Jett.

"Good guy, sharp, very smart, just good people," he said. "I think we share a lot of the same philosophies on how law enforcement should be done."

Cooper said he is a supporter of Second Amendment rights.

"I really don't think that should be infringed upon especially out here in the west," he said. "I just don't think that's a good idea."

He said the recent dispute between the U.S. Forest Service and Otero County along with local ranchers over water and property rights can be resolved amicably.

"If people will sit down and talk, let's find out what's best and what will work for everybody involved," he said. "I'm sure there is a solution that the Forest Service can live with, that will appease the ranchers and the cattle people up there and vice-versa. But if we don't sit down and talk about it, then it's not going to happen."

Cooper said he was born on Holloman Air Force Base and graduated from Alamogordo High School. After receiving his law enforcement certification from Western New Mexico University, he began working for ADPS at the age of 19. He is married with five kids and his wife, Rhonda, has been very supportive, he said.

"Alamogordo was one of the few places that would hire under age 21," he said. "I spent 23 straight years with the department. You see guys that will start at one place, go to another, come back, go to another. I stayed in one place."